Essiac is a four-herb formula that came out of Ontario in the 1920s, named for the nurse who popularised it, Rene Caisse, with her surname spelled backwards. The four herbs are burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm bark and Turkey rhubarb root.
It brews dark and tastes rooty and bitter, closer to a decoction than a tea. Traditionally it is steeped strong, kept refrigerated and drunk in small measures, not by the mug.
Burdock root is the same plant as gobo, an everyday root vegetable in Japan, where it is scrubbed and simmered, not dried. Slippery elm is Ulmus rubra, an American elm, and its inner bark is mucilaginous, which is what gives the brew its slightly thick texture.
Sheep sorrel is a small wild dock with arrow-shaped leaves and a sharp lemony bite. That sourness is oxalic acid, the same compound behind rhubarb's, which is fitting given what else is in the jar.
Bring filtered or spring water to °F. Add of tea leaves to an 8oz cup. Pour boiling water over the tea leaves and let steep minutes.
Ingredients:
- Organic burdock root, organic sheep sorrel, organic slippery elm bark, and organic (Turkey) rhubarb root
Origin:
Blend
Disclaimer:
Warning: Pregnant women, consult your physician. Use only stainless steel utensils when preparing this tea. This product contains rhubarb root (Rheum palmatum). Do not use if you have or develop diarrhea, loose stools, or abdominal pain, because rhubarb root may worsen these conditions and be harmful to your health. Consult your physician if you have frequent diarrhea or if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Individuals with a history of kidney stones should use this herb cautiously.
